


Grinding Gears

by KineticSynergy



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 23:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2001903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KineticSynergy/pseuds/KineticSynergy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something is bothering Ironhide and he doesn't really want to talk about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grinding Gears

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the TF Rare Pairings fanwork-a-thon, using the prompt: Kup/Ironhide - "Retirement Home"
> 
> ::comm speak::

A flash of red and gold stumbled out of the training room in what seemed to be a great deal of panic which caused the weathered, old teal colored bot walking down the wide hall to loft a optic ridge. Not long after two more forms stumbled out from the room and bolted down the nearest hallway. Their hasty retreat was followed by an angry, unintelligible, snarled roar that could only be from the Ark’s resident weapons specialist Ironhide.

“Aren’t you supposed to be trainin’ lad?”

The familiar graveled voice filled the red and golden yellow bot’s audios and he turned to face the speaker, jumping lightly in the process as if spooked out of his processor. “I um..ah…Kup hello.” The younger mech rubbed the back of his helm in a sheepish if not mildly embarrassed fashion. “I was but, now I’m not…um” he started to inch away from Kup as he spoke. “Ironhide’s in a really bad mood and well training, yeah, later.” With that said he turned and promptly took off down the hallway leaving Kup to shake his head in the wake of his disappearance.

“What did you mechlings do,” Kup half mused to himself with a light chuckle before he entered the training arena only to have to duck out of the way of a training sword that embedded itself into the wall with groan of punctured metal where his helm had been and he muttered to himself as he watched the scene unfold before him. “Rare form eh.”

“Hide I think ya need ta calm down,” the words fell from the black and white’s mouth in a slight airy then forced fashion as the Autobot’s third in command was consequently lifted into the air and slammed into the arena floor in one swift grab from the raging red mech. “…Ow.”

“Calm down, CALM DOWN,” Ironhide snarled, fans whirred as his intakes vibrated heavily as his systems strained to cool his overheated frame. “I’ll calm down scraplet when you pose more of a challenge.”

Kup leaned back against the wall next to the training saber with a heavily vented sigh as he watched Jazz spring lightly back to his peds, he also noticed that he was not the only one that was watching the spectacle unfold before his optics. But unlike him most of the other bots were slowly inching their way towards the exits when they thought that Ironhide was not watching. The old soldier had to give the black and white some credit as he watched the smaller more agile form trade blows with the weapons master all the while trying to keep away from Ironhide’s vice like grip.

“Not gonna work kid,” Kup mused as he watched Ironhide go down with a hefty clang and a throaty snarl. Jazz’s swaggered saunter over to the falling mech caused the veteran to shake his head as he watched Ironhide closely, he could tell from his narrowed optics and the slight twitch of his fingers that he was far from beaten.

“Please tell me we're dun Hide,” the black and white looked down at the large red mech as he took another step closer. “Yer scarin’ half…”

Whatever Jazz was about to say was lost with a yelp of surprise as Ironhide moved faster than the saboteur had anticipated and with one fluid motion the weapons master not only rolled into a crouched position but had grabbed Jazz tightly by the back of his leg, just above the knee and used his momentum to rip his third in command off his feet and chucked him unceremoniously a quarter of the way across the room in Kup’s direction. There was a look of smug satisfaction on Ironhide’s faceplates at the sight of Jazz’s sprawled form trying to recollect himself with a groan.

Kup shoved himself away from the wall and patted Jazz on the shoulder as he passed. The black and white looked up at him with a slightly dazed look. “I’ll take it from here, lad.”

“Come to join in the fun ol’ friend,” Ironhide ground out as he pushed himself back to his peds. His seemingly relaxed pose was a ruse Kup knew well.

“Someone’s got to make sure you don’t put all these turbo pups in the med bay,” Kup quipped back as he came to stand before his age old friend. “I think that Prime would also like his third in command in one piece. What’s got your gears in such a twist?”

Ironhide’s smirk faded some to an almost incredulous look, before he launched himself at Kup. The two veterans came together in a mighty clash of metal. “I’ll show you gears in a twist.”

All of the other bots in the training arena save Jazz took the opportunity to vacate the premises while Ironhide turned his attention to Kup. The black and white was more than just a little curious as to what has gotten under the red mech’s plating so badly. Picking himself up off the floor the saboteur made his way as stealthily as possible to the observation deck. Which earned him a random scrap of metal being kicked in his direction. There was no way that Ironhide as going to let the black and white to sneak off unnoticed even as he blocked the incoming blows from old soldier.

Kup’s attention was drawn to Jazz as the chunk of metal flew wide missing the saboteur, but it did cause the mech to take a light hop step sideways before he disappeared out the door that would lead to the adjoining hall to the observation deck. His slight lapse in attention gave Ironhide the opportunity to take the weathered bot off his peds as he hooked his ankle behind Kup’s lower leg in a heavy sweep. Though the red mech’s victory did not last long as the old soldier lashed out with one heavy kick and caused the weapons master to stumble leaving Kup the opportunity to spring to his feet and tackled the larger mech. Soon the pair was rolling around the arena floor snarling and cursing as they grappled for dominance. 

::You going to tell me what’s gotten under your plating?:: Kup pinged Ironhide’s comm line.

“Nothin’s gotten under my platin’” Ironhide snarled back as he flipped Kup over his shoulders and heard the old mech land with a rattling thud as he rolled to his peds all the while Kup mirrored his actions and turned to face him.

Jazz stood on the observation deck watching the fight below escalate and was actually glad that he was not involved. He had to admit it was quite a sight to see, these two veterans did not hold back. Not one that was seen too often, well at least not between Autobots that is.

“What is going on?”

Jazz glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the even tenor that spoke knowing full well who he’d see. Prowl entered the observation deck. “Two ol’ mechs an’ some intense trainin’”

“I see,” Prowl replied dryly a he came to a halt just behind Jazz’s right shoulder. Hands folded neatly behind his back as he looked down at the chaotic match, if it could even be called that, below. “I’ve had several complaints today concerning Ironhide’s methods of training. Can you elaborate?”

Jazz shrugged as he turned his attention back to Kup and Ironhide internally flinching when the red mech landed a heavy blow and he could hear the squeal of denting plating. He could only shake his head as Kup did not even seem phased and returned the weapon specialists blows just as harshly. He glanced over his shoulder at the other black and white “Dun know. Figured if I watched maybe I’d find out.”

Prowl nodded and remained silent as the pair fell into a comfortable silence as the watched the two bots try to wear each other down.

::We’ve got an audience,:: Kup motioned ever so slightly with his head towards the observation deck

“What about it?” Came the growled response yet Kup noticed the red mech’s optic flicker to the observation deck where just a hint of Jazz could be seen looking down at them.

::You want what’s bothering you to be aired out in front of those young pups?:: 

The two met in another thundering clash, their plating groaning and even cracking in placed as they continued to trade blow for blow. Cracked lip plates and heavy dents slowed neither of them down despite Kup not knowing how long Ironhide took his pent up rage out on his trainees earlier.

::No::

::No what?:: Kup grunted as he blocked the heavy punch from Ironhide.

::Don’ wanna to talk ‘bout it Kup:: He tackled Kup once again and once again they became a rolling mass of flailing limbs till teal bot pinned the weapons specialist to the floor with a snarl.

::OUT WITH IT SOLDIER!:: Kup barked loudly into the comm causing Ironhide’s audios to ring a little.

Ironhide growled and bucked, trying to dislodge the smaller yet seasoned mech from his position to no avail his system were finally winding down, he was running out of energy. 

::Heard some bots talkin’ ‘bout something. Something ‘bout some of us needin’ to be put in a home:: The words snarled across the comm yet they had lost some of the sharp bite they held earlier. To Kup that was a moderately good sign that his long time friend was slowly calming down.

::A home?::

“Retirement home,” the words were spoken softly aloud.

Kup optics flicked, cycled in a series of quick blinks before he snorted, sitting back with a bark of laughter. “That’s what’s got you all wound up tighter than turbo fox surrounded by petro rabbits?”

“Yeah,” with a huff Ironhide bucked Kup off his frame and sat up slowly grumbling, as he rubbed his hands over his faceplates trailing energon with them, before he cast the teal mech a sideways glance and began to chuckle. “Frag Kup, we’re a mess.”

“Come on,” Kup said as he forced himself to his peds slowly, placing his hands against his lower back he stretched some his spinal strut crackled, and offered a hand to Ironhide. “Let’s get cleaned up, find some high grade and actually talk this out. I think we need a plan of attack.”

Ironhide took the offered hand with a lofted optic ridge as the pair stumbled and somehow managed to not fall into a heap on the floor. “A plan of attack huh,” a sly grin slide across his features that looked menacing with his split lips and energon smeared face plates. Leaning on one another the pair made their way out of the training arena towards Ratchet’s med bay.


End file.
